The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has begun evacuating the southern Gazan city of Rafah – where more than a million Palestinian civilians have been sheltering – in preparation for its long-awaited ground offensive there. Overnight, Hamas announced it had accepted the latest ceasefire offer brokered by mediators, which saw Gazans celebrating in the streets – but reports say Israel has rejected the terms and has fired on targets in Rafah’s east. The IDF yesterday dropped flyers in Rafah warning civilians it’s “about to move with force against terror organisations in the area you currently reside”. It says it’s expanded a nearby “humanitarian area” for people displaced. Israel’s plans to invade Rafah have been condemned by world leaders for months, and the UN says a ground assault on Rafah would “put the final nail in the coffin” on Gazan aid operations.